The new Swansea City Bus Station, which was formally opened to the public in December 2010, is clean, safe, light and airy with modern facilities including direct and convenient access to the adjacent Quadrant Shopping Centre. Surveys carried out since its opening indicate that passenger numbers have risen, as have feelings of personal security.
Modern public transport hub for Swansea city centre
- 03 February 2014
Swansea City Bus Station is an excellent transport interchange facility, which acts as a gateway to South West Wales. Its inclusive design provides a range of high quality features which promote accessibility for all users.
Thousands of passengers a day are now enjoying a bus station which is clean and safe with all the modern conveniences one would expect. These include a separate arrival and departure lounge for coach passengers and easy access to a new taxi rank. Accessibility for disabled passengers is a vital component of the bus station’s design.
The latest technology
New technological features include electronic information and touch screen displays at each departure bay, overhead information screens, a travel information office and automatic doors which open only when buses pull onto the departure bay. Colour contrasted floor tiling and the provision of a tactile strip in the floor assist blind and partially sighted users, and these are complemented by the RNIB React system of audible messaging and a tactile map of the bus station. Twenty bus bays are now provided for commuters and shoppers, and there are an additional three coach bays.
Footfall in the local area was fully restored in the first year of the bus station's opening. In fact, it has already grown by 28 % for the link into the adjacent shopping centre. Passenger figures have also increased – by approximately 5 % to 9.19 million per year. This rise complements a 10 % increase reported on the metro service following its opening in 2009.
Positive survey results
In order to gauge the passengers' view, various surveys have been carried out since the bus station opened. Formerly, in 2006, 60 % of respondents felt that the old bus station’s appearance was 'very or fairly poor'. In 2011, the picture was very different with 93 % of those surveyed saying that the new bus station was 'very or fairly good'.
Perceptions of public safety have also risen with 93 % of respondents saying that they now feel safe while using the bus station during evening hours. This high figure is also down to the fact that bus station rangers or security staff are available day and night to guide visitors and ensure they are safe.
Previously, public transport interchange in Swansea was spread to locations around the city centre. The renovation of the bus station has consolidated the provision of public transport bus services, park and ride, long-distance coach services and the Swansea Metro to a single site. The project was also one of the prominent schemes in the Regional Transport Plan for South West Wales.
A high proportion of people travelling into Swansea city centre for shopping purposes do so by public transport (40 % use buses at least one a month to travel to the city centre). This is a figure much higher than the national average and highlights the importance of the bus station to the city centre's redevelopment.
A number of innovative features help the station reduce its environmental impact and enhance its sustainability. They include rain water harvesting, solar panels, natural ventilation and tinted glass to reduce thermal gain within the concourse. The bus station has been awarded a BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) rating of 'very good' for these efforts.
The bus station is a self-financing facility funded through a combination of income from departure charges to the public transport operators, advertising revenue and rental income from office space.
Interestingly, the bus station also created three new retail units from which the current tenants provide grocery sales and a range of light food and beverage services. These units have proved to be extremely popular, with one winning a regional trading award as a result.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Swansea City Bus Station” is EUR 12 823 200 with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 6 970 800 through the “West Wales and the Valleys Convergence” Operational Programme for the 2007-2013 programming period.